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Darksand • With Mind of a Squid and Hidden • Stars • Fri, Apr 16
After a year-long hiatus, Edmonton’s moody, experimental metalheads Darksand are once again taking the stage by storm. After playing together for several years and releasing a self-titled disc, Darksand were relegated to the sidelines when drummer Trevor Duffy bowed out of the band. “Maybe the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle caught up with him a little quicker than it did the band,” explains guitarist Brent Ankrom. But after some unsuccessful attempts to find a replacement, the downtime eventually brought Duffy back into the fold. “We’ve actually got our original drummer back and he’s a little bit more mentally fit to play now,” says Ankrom. The five guys in Darksand play a heavy mix of rock with the odd mandolin and harmonica bit thrown in for variety. Ankrom says their set can be tweaked to fit in with just about anything, depending on the vibe of the venue. “We’ve played with hippies like Knee Deep in Grass,” he says, “and then next we can play with metal acts like Dead Jesus. It keeps us a lot more interested as far as writing goes. It doesn’t get so stale and repetitive as long as we keep incorporating new styles.”
However, the impressive diversity the band musters sometimes a double edge sword of “not being able fit into a solid scene or click” says guitarist Brent Ankrom. The band’s fascination with dark themes not only bleeds into their songs where forgotten gods lurk, but it’s provided them with visual folder for their live show as well. Using several TVs liberated from pawnshops and video loops spliced from the library’s collection of medical and military footage as well as a friend’s stop-motion animation, Darksand have created a stark low-budget backdrop. (PD)
- Vue Magazine
It’s been out for roughly a month now, but politeness dictates that you really should be celebrating the release of Darksand’s self titled debut with the band this Friday, June 14 at Stars. The album is an energetic nod in the direction of ’70s metal mixed with lyrical concerns that would receive a thumbs up from Megadeth’s Dave Mustaine, an assessment bassist Kevin Green would agree with.
"A lot of people have said that. We come from the old school, sort of on the cusp between old and new metal."
The songs come from a backlog of material that the band has been polishing for years. "Most of it was written during our formative high school years, and it was really putting something to rest," explains the bassist. "We felt that we had to get it out there, to express the way that we were, and the way that we used to look at a lot of things."
After cleaning out the cupboards, Darksand will be concentrating on expanding their musical scope, with plans for an acoustic album and a live album, both (hopefully) to be released within the year. And even though such determined eclecticism places his band in the odd man out position in Edmonton, he feels it hasn’t hindered them in any way.
"We have a sound that is original, and it’s hard to kind of place into metal. We started out playing with hippies like Knee Deep and Grass; we’d come out trying to be as hardcore as we could and they loved it. That’s one thing about this city is the cross-pollination; Edmonton is the biggest small town in the world, and that cross-pollination occurs with anyone that loves music. Everybody I know listens to some metal, some punk, some of this, some of that. And that’s what we’re trying to capitalize on."
- See Magazine
Discography
Darksand (self titled) 2002
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
The dark sand is a melodically bizarre heavy metal/progressive rock band. Creativity and integrity are
the main goal in the dark sand’s song writing, striving to impress themselves
and minds alike. With a wide array of influences ranging from Pink Floyd, Alice in Chains, to Mr. Bungle, this five piece focuses on complexity and intricacy to create their soundscape. An inventive live show is a characteristic of this act that is like no other. Incorporating artistic visual backdrops combined with twisted stage prop and costume give the dark sand an image all to their own. The force known as the dark sand was formed in the late nineties when friends of common interests and ritualistic psychedelic practices came together to start such a project. Darksand, to which was their previous name, began by playing small local
venues of all ages while also releasing self recorded demos. In later years
playing an integral part in Edmonton’s underground scene and sharing the
stage with some of Alberta’s top acts Darksand released there first
full length album in the summer of 2002. Engineered by guitarist Chris
Vaughn this ten song collection of experimental hard rock dates
back to some of the earliest pro recordings in Darksand’s owned and operated
Sundiver Studios. Now past with a year and a half for some of the dark sand’s
members to pursue other projects and to tighten musical and production
techniques the dark sand’s plans for the future are all but lacking. With a
tour and CD release date set for 2005 the dark sand’s new collection of
material will be released on a double album. One an epical acoustic orientated
concept piece and the second a seven-track list to mirror the dark sand’s
off the wall live persona. With a catalogue of over 60 songs constant
progressive song writing the dark sand will continue to record and to
showcase their live act.
Contact: (780)918-2064
thedarksand@gmail.com
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